Crescent chain conveyors where a great number of studs in approximately half-moon shape in a plan view are attached to a chain, which is a conveying means that continuously moves so as to be relatively rotatable, are generally known as conventional conveying apparatuses for conveying dishes on which food and drink are placed in eating establishments, such as conveyor-belt sushi restaurants.
Meanwhile, in recent years some conveying apparatuses convey food and drink without using a crescent chain conveyor, for example, by providing trays on which food and drink are placed that can run on a conveying path via wheels and magnets at predetermined intervals beneath the conveying path which can run continuously by means of an endless drive chain so that the attracting force between the magnetic bodies provided on the above described trays and the magnets on the drive chain allows the trays to run (see, for example, Patent Document 1).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2004-16464 (page 1, FIG. 1)